Written answers

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Business Supports

Photo of Emer CurrieEmer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of applicants and recipients of the grow digital voucher in 2024; the total cost of the scheme in 2024; the budget allocation for the scheme in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22578/25]

Photo of Alan DillonAlan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Grow Digital Voucher was launched on the 4th of September 2024. This new digital support has replaced the Trading Online Voucher (TOV) which was closed to new applications on 13th December 2024. The Grow Digital Voucher has a much broader eligible expenditure criteria covering a wider range of digital supports as well being available to a larger cohort of businesses, in comparison to the TOV. Additionally, the funding available was increased to up to €5,000. Grow Digital is available to small businesses in all sectors with up to 50 employees - compared to the TOV which was only available to businesses with up to 10 employees and excluded certain sectors.

The objective of the Grow Digital Voucher is to help small businesses to implement the recommendations of a Digital for Business consultancy. Based on the consultancy, the Grow Digital Voucher can be used to boost efficiency, by streamlining operations and enhancing productivity using digital tools.

Eligible expenditure under this scheme includes e-commerce software, e-invoicing software, cyber security software, as well as analytics software including Artificial Intelligence systems. The improvements in eligible expenditure for Grow Digital also mean that website development subscriptions are supported. The Grow Digital Voucher ensures that small businesses are being supported with digitalisation and will contribute towards the target of 90% basic digital intensity of enterprise by 2030.

Since its launch in September 2024, there were 13 Grow Digital Voucher applications and 6 client approvals to a value of €28,296.50. As the Digital for Business Scheme is a prerequisite for the Grow Digital Voucher, there is a strong pipeline for the increased uptake of the Voucher, based on the 295 Digital for Business approvals in 2024.

The 2025 Grow Digital Voucher allocation is €5,059,400 which includes an estimated €3.9m allocation towards final Trading Online Voucher Scheme claims.

Photo of Emer CurrieEmer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applicants and recipients of the Enterprise Ireland's digital process innovation offer, in 2024; the total cost of the scheme in 2024; the budget allocation for the scheme in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22579/25]

Photo of Alan DillonAlan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland's Digital Process Innovationgrant is one of several supports provided under Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). It is targeted at businesses that are seeking greater integration of digital technology for improved efficiency.

NRRP funding is provided to Ireland through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and is used to support businesses through the Green Transition Fund and the Digital Transition Fund.In 2024, 44 companies were approved Digital Process Innovation

grants by Enterprise Ireland. Total payments were made to 21 companies amounting to €2,000,369. Enterprise Ireland has budgeted for €19.7 million of expenditure under the NRRP in 2025. There is no specific budget allocated for the Digital Process Innovation component of this.

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